NY Appellate Court Holds Default Letter Stating Lender “Will Proceed to Automatically Accelerate” Did Not Accelerate the Debt and Thus Did Not Trigger the Statute of Limitations
In U.S. Bank N.A. v. Gordon, 176 A.D.3d 1006 (2d Dept. 2019), the New York Appellate Division, Second Department, held that a notice of default stating that if the loan was not made current, the lender “will automatically accelerate [the] loan,” was “merely an expression of future intent” and therefore did not accelerate the borrowers’ debt. As such, the Second Department held that the notice of default did not trigger the statute of limitations.
Summary of Facts and Background
On or about November 3, 2005, Steve and Ashia Gordon (“Defendants”) executed a note (“Note”), which was secured by a mortgage (“Mortgage”) against a property in Queens, New York. On or about July 1, 2011, Defendants defaulted on the loan. As a result, America’s Servicing Co. (“ASC”) sent a letter to Defendants, dated September 21, 2008 (“Notice of Default”), advising them that the loan was in default, and that, “[u]nless the payments on your loan can be brought current by October 21, 2008, it will become necessary to accelerate your Mortgage Note and pursue the remedies provided for in your Mortgage or Deed of Trust.” Moreover, the Notice of Default warned that “failure to pay this delinquency, plus additional payments and fees that may become due, will result in the acceleration of your Mortgage Note. Once acceleration has occurred, a foreclosure action . . . may be initiated.” In addition, the Notice of Default stated that “[t]o avoid the possibility of acceleration,” Defendants were required to make certain payments by a specific time, or ASC “will proceed to automatically accelerate your loan.” (Emphasis added).
On June 29, 2017, plaintiff U.S. Bank N.A. (“U.S. Bank”) commenced a foreclosure action to enforce the Defendants’ Mortgage in the Queens County Supreme (the “Lower Court”). Defendants moved to dismiss the action pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(5) alleging that the statute of limitations to foreclose had expired. Specifically, Defendants argued that the entire debt was accelerated on September 21, 2008, based on the Notice of Default.
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